Fire-hydrant.



W. H. sYMoNs. HRB HYDRANT. I APPLIUATION'PELBD 00T. 14, 1910.

991,559, Patented May 9,1911.

@v/22557; ZUM/am ff. Jymbms nrc.

WILLIAM E. SYIVIONS, 0F SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA.

FIRE-HYDRANT.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May a, 191i.

Application led October 14, 1910. Serial No. 586,979.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, VILLIAM I-I. SYMoNs, a citizen of the United States,residing at San Diego, California, have invented a new and usefulFire-Hydrant, of which the following is a specification.

Primarily my object is to improve the details of a fire hydrant or thelike; and my invention consists of the novel features herein shown,described and claimed.

Specifically one of the main objects of my invention is to control thewater pressure by an auxiliary valve, so that the pressure or absence ofpressure will assist in opening or closing the main valve.

Another object is to construct a hydrant body and mount the main andauxiliary valves in the hydrant body so that they may be removed,repaired and replaced through the nozzle opening of the hydrant body.

Another object is to shape the hydrant body and nozzle so that therewill be a free flow of water to the nozzle.

Another object is to provide a hydrant body and apply a plurality ofindependent nozzle mechanisms.

In the drawings: Figure 1 is a vertical central section of a re hydrantembodying the principles of my invention, the valve mechanism beingshown closed. Fig. 2 is a fragmentary section on the same plane as Fig.1, and showing the valve mechanism open.

Referring to the drawings in detail a fire hydrant embodying theprinciples of my invention comprises: A, a hydrant body. B, a main valvemechanism. C, an auxiliary valve mechanism.

In Fig. 1 I have shown two independent valve mechanisms, 1 and 2, thevalve mechanism 2 being mounted below and crosswise of the valvemechanism 1.

The hydrant body A comprises: a base flange 3; the vertical stand pipe4:; the bulge 5 around the-valve mechanism 2; the bulge 6 around thevalve mechanism 1, and the head 7 closing the upper end of the waterchamber.

rlhe valve mechanisms 1 and 2 are substantially alike and for the valvemechanism 1 there is a nozzle base 8 extending outwardly from the bulge6, the opening through this nozzle base being funnel shaped, with itslarge end inwardly, and there is a similar nozzle for the valvemechanism 2.

The details of the main valve B are as follows: The small outer end ofthe base 8 has an internal screw thread 9. The nozzle bushing 10 has anexternal screw thread 11v litt-ing the screw thread 9, and the outerface of the nozzle base 8 is finished to receive the gasket 12. A flange13 extends outwardly around the bushing 10 and ts against the gasket 12so as to form a tight joint between the bushing 10 and the nozzle base8. The outer end of the bushing 10 face of the boss 16 is iinished toreceive the gasket 18, and the outer face is finished to receive thelock nut 19. The valve frame 20 comprises, the cylindrical body 21,having an internal screw seat 22 for the valve stem and having anannular flange 23 at its inner end and having a flange 21 at its centerto fit against the gasket 18 and having an external screw thread 25 atits outer end to receive the lock nut 19; so that when the lock nut 19is tightened a tight joint is formed between the valve frame and theboss 16. The outer end of the cylinder 20 is bored out to receive thestuing box packing 26 and the bore is internally screw threaded toreceive the stuiing box nut 27. The valve stem 28 has an external screwthread 29 to lit the screw thread 22 and the outer half 30 of the valvestem is smaller than the screw thread, so that the valve stem isinserted from the inner end of the cylinder 20,

through the stuiing box, and there is a wrench seat 31 upon the outerend of the valve stem. The main valve proper, 32, comprises, acylindrical body 33 having a central bore 34; an annular flange 35extending from the inner end of the cylindrical body and having anexternal screw thread; a rubber gasket 36 tting upon the cylindricalbody against the outer side of the flange 35; a washer 37 fitting uponthe cylindrioal body against the rubber gasket 36 and a nut 38 screwseated upon the outer end of the cylindrical body 33, against the washer37, said gasket 36 fitting the valve seat 15.

A hollow cylinder 39 is screw seated upon the flange 35 and slides uponthe flange 23.

The details of the auxiliary valve C are as follows: The inner end. ofthe cylindrical body 33 is finished to receive the gasket 40. Thecylindrical body 41 extends from the flange 35 around the gasket 40,there being ports 42 leading through the cylindrical body 41. A valvehead 43 is formed upon the inner end of the valve stem 28 and fitsagainst the gasket 40, and a stuffing box nut 44 is placed loosely uponthe valve stem 28 and screwed into the cylindrical body 41 so as toallow the valve head 43 to move back and forth a short distance Withinthe chamber of the cylindrical body 41. The bulge 6 of the hydrant bodycommunicates with the passage through the nozzle base 8 and makes alarge chamber around the valve mechanism so as to provide a free passageof water through the bushing 10 when the main valve is open. The passage45, through the nozzle base 8, leads to the passage 46, through theouter end of the bushing 10, by a curved line 47 of the nozzle base 8,joining to the curved line 48 at the inner end of the bushing.

Suppose that the main valve B and the auxiliary valve C are closed as inFig. 1 and it is desired to open the main valve; a wrench is applied tothe wrench seat 31 and the valve stems screwed backwardly until the head43 is withdrawn from the gasket 40 and then the water pressure withinthe cylinder 39 passes through the ports 42 and through the bore 34,thereby relieve ing the pressure behind the main valve. Then as thevalve stem 28 is further operated the gasket 36 is withdrawn from thevalve seat 15. It is obvious that the i'lange 23 holds the waterpressure from pressing against the main valve at this time and that itwill be a great deal easier to unseat the main valve without the waterpressure against it than is the case where the water pressure operatesdirectly against the main valve. YWhen it is desired to close the valvethe valve stem 28 is operated to press against the gasket 40 and topress the gasket 36 against the valve seat 15 and as soon as the head 43closes the opening 34 the water pressure going into the cylinder 39,through the crack between the flange 23 and the cylinder 39, will assistin pressing the main valve into position and holding it in position.

An entire valve mechanism may be removed from the hydrant body byremoving the lock nut 19 and unscrewing the bushing 10.

Referring to Fig. 2 it is obvious that the water flowing outwardlythrough the nozzle or bushing 10 will press backwardly on the main valve36 and that by virtue of the fact that the passage of the ports 42 andthe opening 34 is greater than the leakage through the joint between theflange 23 and the cylinder 39, the pressure on the back side of thevalve is relieved. ln other words the -flange 23 holds the main waterpressure from the back side ot the main valve so that the valve willopen freely.

It is obvious that the details and proportions may be varied in manyways without departing from the spirit of my invention,

Special attention is called to the tact that the hydrant body is cast ina single piece, thus doing away with the necessity of flange joints,etc., and to the fact that the water in the cylinder 39 is behind thevalve and presses the valve into the seat and that this feature forms awater cushion behind the valve which will etlectually prevent chatteringwhen the valves are seated or about seated and that the form of theoutlet through the valve, with its large end toward the water pressure,will prevent water hammer in closing the valve and that the valvemechanism extends through the hydrant body and points outwardly insteadot' inwardly. Special attention is also called to the fact that thediameter of the cylinder 39 containing the water cushion is greater thanthe diameter of the valve s,opening and that when a hose is attached andthe auxiliary valve opened the back pressure will unseat the main valve.

I claim- 1. In a lire hydrant, a stand pipe, a funnel shaped nozzle baseextending outwardly from the stand pipe with its small end outwardly;said small end being internally screw-threaded, a nozzle bushing screwseated in the nozzle base and having an external screw-thread on itsouter end to receive a hose coupling and having a valve seat upon itsinner end, and there being an opening through the opposite side of thestand pipe in alinement with the opening through the bushing; thesurface around the inner end of the opening being iinished to form atight joint, and the surface around the outer end ot the opening beingiinished to receive a lock nut, a valve frame mounted in said alinedopening and adapted to form a tight joint with said inner iinished baseand having an external screw-thread on its outer end and a lock nut onsaid external screw-thread so that by removing the bushing and removingthe lock nut the valve frame may be removed through the bushing opening.

2. ln a lire hydrant, a stand pipe having transversely alined openings,one of said openings being larger than the other, a valve frame insertedthrough the larger opening and fitted into the smaller opening, a valvestein mounted in the valve frame, a ilange upon the inner end of thevalve frame, a valve upon the inner end of the valve frame, there beinga relief port valve and allowing the cylinder to slide through the valveControlled by the operabaokwardly upon the flange; said flange 10 tionof he valve stem, land a hollow cylinder holding the pressure from thevalve.

mounte upon the Va ve and slidin u on the flange at the inner end oftheg vailve WILLIAM H SYMONS' frame so that When the valve stein isscrewed Witnesses:

backwardly the relief port Will be opened, HANNA MENDENHALL,

thereby releasing the pressure behind the ANDREW K. MARTEIL.

Copies of this patent may 'be obtained for ve cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G.

